In January of 1994, an electrical fire at the Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities (“MCC QC”), then located in Rock Island, Illinois, left the congregation temporarily without a home. Several communities of faith in the Quad Cities were quick to lend a hand, including Temple Emanuel in Davenport, which housed MCC QC worship services at the Jewish synagogue for a time until the current facility at 31 st and Harrison Streets was purchased.

In January of 2013, history will repeat itself in reverse – sort of. The MCC QC congregation sold the Harrison Street facility in December and is excited to be seeking a larger facility with adequate parking that is handicap accessible. Now finding itself again in need of temporary worship space, the Tri-City Jewish Center in Rock Island has opened its doors to the growing church. So when the congregation lost its home in Rock Island, it took refuge at the Jewish Temple in Davenport. Now when the congregation leaves its home in Davenport, it will take refuge at the Jewish Center in Rock Island.

“God has called us to go and we will go where God leads us,” says MCC QC’s pastor, Rev. Rich Hendricks. “I am so pleased that we will have a temporary worship home at the Tri-City Jewish Center and we are very grateful for their hospitality.” MCC QC strives to live up to its mission of providing lively worship and reaching out to all people with God’s inclusive love, and that includes those with physical handicaps. “We can’t say ‘You and your spiritual journey are welcome here,’ and mean it if we are not handicap accessible,”

says Hendricks. During the past year, the congregation met once a month at the Clarion Hotel in order to provide handicap accessible worship services at least once a month. From now on all of the Sunday morning services will be handicap accessible.

The growing 33-year-old congregation hopes to find a permanent home soon, as its facilities housed AA groups, QC Pride meetings, feed the hungry cooking and many other weekday activities. All of that has had to be relocated for now. Rev. Hendricks remains confident: “We know that this is a great community and we feel sure there is a wonderful facility out there for us that we can afford.”

The congregation will hold its worship services at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays at the Tri-City Jewish Center, 2715 - 30th St., Rock Island for now. For more information about MCC QC you may call the church at 563.324.8281 or check them out on the web at www.mccqc.com .